""We're a million miles from what it was before," says Clasford Stirling MBE, "and that's how it should be." Mr Stirling is a youth and community engagement worker describing the Broadwater Farm estate in north-east London, where, in 1985, rioting broke out and a policeman was murdered. But decades on, its residents are embracing life on this estate and are optimistic about its future."
""In the eighties, the police were not policing properly," he explained. "It wasn't a very good situation between the police, the council and the local community, especially the young black community. There was a lot of mistrust and tension." That tension erupted into violence after resident Cynthia Jarrett, a black woman, died from heart failure when four policemen burst into her home on the estate searching for stolen property. They found none."
Broadwater Farm estate in Tottenham experienced violent unrest in 1985 after deep mistrust between the police and the local community. A resident, Cynthia Jarrett, died during a police search, and soon after PC Keith Blakelock was repeatedly stabbed and murdered during riots. Three people were wrongfully convicted for the murder and were later acquitted. Decades later the estate now hosts a £250m regeneration project, a thriving sports club, a music scene, an active community centre and an "outstanding" Ofsted-rated primary school, The Willow, which is oversubscribed. Clasford Stirling MBE, a youth and community worker who grew up on the estate, has worked there for 46 years and describes significant positive change.
Read at www.bbc.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]